The author understands at a very deep level, the courage that it takes for a woman to heal in our culture at this time in this era. Writing for her has been a form of ritual in terms of putting her life into perspective. It called forth shades and spectra in her life and helped her to put them to rest. She speaks of past hardships, courage, and triumph over adversity. She recognizes that she has been a survivor in terms of past injury, and it is in the admiring of it in the present that releases her. To realize injury and memorialize it, she believes allows thriving to come into form.